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The Gi'eat Debate 



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A Platform Scene in the Seven yoint Discussions 
between Lincoln and Dou<^las. One of the Relief 
Pictures in the Dome of the State Capitol at 
Springfield, Illinois. ^^^ si^ 6>v? g^s*^ <?»jVe 




4- ' 



SECOND COPV, 






41795 

CopyriRhted by 
Alonzo Wheeler Jekome 

September 2, 1899. 

:5^V3 COPIES RECc IV 






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The Great Debate 



One of tlie Nicolai Reliefs in the dome 
of Illinois'' Statehouse.<^T> <^'> ^K-) «fs 



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/~ A^ this picture, so entitled ))y all who remember, 
and all who are familiar with the written history 
of the discussion of the fjuestion as to the re- 
striction or extension of Slavery, in the territories 
of the United States, the most conspicuous ad- 
vocate of the restriction policy, is standing by a table with 
one liand resting thereon, while the other is held in the well 
known position of argumentative gesture, slightly raised 
from the side, with the palm turned outward, seeming to 



sav, ''Is not that light, and true, and reasonable^' 



4 THE GREAT D EBA TE. 

Lincoln, it is said, used but that one gesture when 
speaking, and that movement and position of the hand was 
as natural when making an argument, founded on reason, 
as the movement of the tongue itself. Certain it is, that 
in none of the speeches delivered by this great reasoner, 
was there any deliberate attempt made at oratory merely 
for applause, but all of the eloquent periods came from a 
full and sympathetic heart. He made no effort to heighten 
effect by the aid of swinging arms and clapping hands; by 
shaking of the head and trem])ling voice. Calmness, ear- 
nestness, sincerity, appeals to reason and to justice, cons- 
tituted his pt)wer to bring others to his view of the question. 
And let it l)e said, to the credit of a majority of the people 
of llHnois, that they were capable of being influenced by 



THE GREAT DEBATE. 5 

right and reason, rather than ])y subtlety and l)rilliant 
oratory. 

Lincoln's opponent is seated at the opposite side of the 
table (looking the physical dwarf and mental giant that he 
was) full of attention to what his great rival is saying, and, 
no doubt, endeavoring to frame replies for use when his 
turn shall have come to address the multitude. 

Douglas' friends are grouped on his side of the table, 
and, while it is clearly manifest that all the faces, save one, 
as well as those on the Lincoln side, are intended for por- 
traits, the writer has l)een unable to secure with certainty, 
the identity of but few of the men there seen, and all 
attempt to name the others is only conjecture. 

The key to the whole series of pictures, or Relief 
Plaques, as they may l)e called, cannot be found, and its 



6 THE GR EA T DEB A TE. 

loss is greatly deplored by all who appreciate the art and the 
, history, which are shown in this beautiful work, not only 
as to this Lincoln-Douglas plaque, but as to each and every- 
one of the series, ten in number. 

At the extreme right of the picture, looking out from 
under a draped doorway or cabinet, is the face of a colored 
man, who is standing in an easy position, with one hand 
placed on his left hip, the other stretched above his head, 
and resting against the door post. Why is this negro on 
the Douglas side, instead of on the side of his friend 
Lincoln? 

The key would doubtless explain why. In its absence 
it may be surmised that, inasmuch as a then recent opinion 
from Chief Justice Taney, of the Supreme Court of the 
United States, was Ijcing used by Douglas as one of his 



THE GREAT DEBATE. 7 

arguments, one of his friends in these debates, perhaps the 
artist, placed the wooly head and thick lips there, as an 
allegorical "Dred Scott" decision, or it may be that the 
figure with the curtain, is intended to represent the }n-o- 
verbial "woodpile." At least, few visitors notice him, 
unless their attention is called to him. 

A recent visitor, a bright lady from Warsaw, Hancock 
County, after hearing the above guess as to the reason for 
the apparent mislocation of the colored man, suggested with 
a mischievous smile, "Perhaps he is waiting for an order." 

Two visitors at the Statehouse who said they knew 
Judge Anthony Thornton of Shelbyville, expressed the 
opinion, that the figure seated at the right hand end of the 
picture, was intended to represent that great friend of the 
"Little Giant." 



8 THE GREAT DEBATE. 

It is well worth while to give this figure careful atten- 
tion, the pose l^eing that of a man who is forgetting every- 
thing else in the deep absorption of following the speaker's 
aro-ument. He has his left arm resting on the back of the 
chair, the left foot drawn back under it, and his head held 
in a listening attitude, the face, the form, and the attitude, 
being most natural and lifelike." But this is almost equally 
true of the entire work, there being scarcely an exception. 

The faces of the two men who are standing on this, the 
Douglas side of the picture, are tine and strong, with such 
marked and distinguishing features, that they should be 
easily recognized by people who saw and heard the debates. 



•Representative Ross of Vcandalia, has, since the above was written, posi- 
tively identified this face ns that of Judge Thornton. 



THE GREA T DEB A IE. 9 

One of them is thought to resemble Wm. A. Richardson, 
who filled out the unexpired term of Mr. Douglas as United 
States Senator, excepting the short time that O. H. Brown- 
ing held the position by appointment. 

On the Lincoln side, and seated nearest to him, is a 
figure, which it is almost certain, is intended to represent 
Judge Stephen T. Logan. And, if so, he is properly placed, 
as he was very near to Lincoln, in all his political life. 

Next to Logan, is a face which was thought by a lady 
visitor from Bloomington, to resemble "Old Ike Funk," he, 
who electrified the Senate, during a session of that l)ody in 
which the "great war" was under discussion, by an im- 
promptu speech that made him famous. 

Standing behind this figure, is that of a patriot so well 
and so widely known, that few fail to recognize it, yet so 



10 THE GREAT DEBATE. 

little has been said or written about this work, that the 
grand old man himself, did not know that he was represented 
in that group of great men, until his attention was called to 
it a short time since. After quite a prolonged examination 
of the picture, he handed back the opera glass, and said, "I 
guess you're right, I'll come again, I'll come again." He 
had been asked if he could identify any other of the faces 
in the picture. No effort was made to detain him, he was 
entitled to release from attendance, and to have opportunity 
to indulge in the thoughts that platform scene suggested, 
and the memories it l)rought back to him. 

As a lawyer at the Illinois bar, as a member of the 
Constitutional Convention of 1847, as a State Senator, 
Colonel of the 14th Illinois Infantry, Major General com 
manding the 14th Army Corps, as Provisional Governor of 



THE GREAT DEBATE. 11 

Kentucky, as Governor of Illinois, and as United States 
Senator, General Palmer has rendered his State and Country 
great and excellent service. Not only for these duties well 
done, but because of his prominence as a friend of Lincoln, 
and earnest supporter of the doctrine of opposition to the 
extension of slavery, is he entitled to the honor of a place 
by the side of the greatest of our country's great men, as 
he appears in this marvellous work of art. 

Who else may be represented there, few have attempted 
to suggest. There are twenty figures in the plaque, and 
Matheny, Judd, Stuart, Lovejoy, Wcntworth, Washl)urn, 
Brownincr, mio-ht have all been o-iven places there, and some 
of them may be there. Could we learn who furnished the 
artist, F. Nicolai, with the photographs and engravings he 



12 THE GREAT DEBATE. 

used, and coached him while doing the work, we might be 
able to identify every historic face shown in the several 
plates. To him, as well as to the artist, great credit is due 
for his selection of subjects for illustration. 

It may be, the picture under consideration was intended 
to present the platform as it appeared at some particular one of 
the seven joint debates, which took place in 1858, at Ottawa, 
August, 21st; Freeport, August 27th; Jonesboro, Septem- 
ber 15th; Charleston, September 18th; Galesburg, October 
7th; Quincy, October 13th, and at Alton, October 15th. If so, 
it seems probal)le that the Galesburg debate was selected for 
this picture, as that appears to have been the most notable 
of the meetino-s. 

Are there not yet some living, who can tell the names 
of the representative men occupying the platform with 



THE GREA T DEB A TE. 13 

Lincoln and Douglas, on that occasion? True it is, that 
forty years, just forty years at this writing, have passed 
since that event, but men who were thirty years of age at 
that time, are but seventy now, and surely there must be 
many still with us who can name at least one or two of the 
men shown on the platform.* 

Within a stone's throw of this great Statehouse, stands 
a tine old mansion, up the walk to which, the two most con- 
spicuous men depicted in this plate, each form and posture 
so true to life, passed many times. They were bent on 
other than political business, yet in antagonism as they 
always were, until November G, 1860. 



* R. R. Hilt, who tho writer thinks reported these debates, would be likely 
to remember some of them. 



14 THE GREJ T DEB A TE. 

Both were ambitious to attain distinction, but neither 
dreamed of the exalted position their forms and faces would 
occupy, in such a magnificent structure as the Capitol of 
Illinois now is, and which rears its beautiful symmetrical 
dome, so near the house, then the home of her, to attain 
whose hand Avas their present ambition. It was the old 
Statehouse, then quite new, but now too small for the 
Judicial and Administrative business of Sangamon County, 
whose walls were made to ring with their eloquence, and 
the Representative Hall, of which was made sacred by the 
lying-in state therein, of the remains of him whose greatest 
aim in life was "To take care that government of the people, 
by the people, and for the people, might not perish from 
the earth." 



THE GREA T DEB A TE. 1 5 

With ordinary men the continued clashing of interests 
Avoidd have caused an enmity so strong as to preclude even 
the usual amenities of acquaintance. But it was not so 
with these "big and little giants;" they respected each 
other and were friendly, even familiar in their conversation, 
as is illustrated by an incident related to the writer, by 
Judge Barge of Dixon. 

On the day of the debate at Freeport, Judge Barge 
with a young friend, went early to the grove in which the 
platform for the occasion had been erected, and discussed 
the question as to which direction the speakers would face. 
A pretty brisk breeze was blowing as Lincoln and Douglas 
walked up the steps of the platform. 

Douglas said to Lincoln, "Abe, Avhich way shall we 
talk?" 



16 THE GR EA T DEB A TE. 

"It's hard enouoh to talk lolth the wind, Dajr. We'd 
better face this way," was Abe's reply. 

The writer had never before heard the name of Douoflas 
abbreviated in that way, but has since learned that it was 
frequently so used by his intimates. 

Notwithstanding the fact that Douglas sometimes be- 
came personal and quite abusive, Lincoln never lost his 
equanimity, and even turned the abuse of his adv^ersary to 
his own advantage. - 

This was amusingly and strikingly done, either at this 
Freeport debate, or in that at Ottawa, as related by Deacon 
Bushnell, of Paxton, who was then living in that part of 
the State. 

Douglas had worked himself up to such a degree of 
earnestness in talking of what Lincoln had said, that he 



THE GREA T DEB A TE. IT 

forgot his audience, turned his back to it, and, facin": 
Lincoln, scolded and fumed until his face became almost 
hideous with raije. Lincoln folded his arms as evidence 
that he had no hostile intent, arose and moved around slowly 
so Douglas would follow his movement, until he brought to 
the view of the audience, the distorted and repulsive 
features, which could not fail to impress them as evidence 
of want of argument on his side, which such exhibitions of 
anger usually do. 

This piece of strategy by Lincoln, was the keen act of 
the lawyer, who takes advantage of every opportunity 
afforded by opposing counsel to show him to the jury in an 
unfavorable light, or rather, as in this case, to let him show 
himself in such lio^ht. 



18 IHE GREAT DEBATE. 

Mr. Lincoln could say scathing things, as he did at 
Freeport, when he suggested that, when Djuglas made the 
charge that he, Lincoln was responsible for certain abolition 
resolutions, "The evil genius that had attended him through 
his life, giving to him an apparent prosperity such as to lead 
very many good men to douljt their being any advantage in 
virtue over vice, had at last made up his mind to forsake 
him." 

And, on the occasion of his Columbus, Ohio, speech in 
Septendjer, 1859, replying to the Harper's Magazine Article 
of Douglas, he said, "Douglas is so put up l)y nature, that 
a lash upon his back would hurt him, but a lash upon any- 
body else's back would not hurt him." 

It requires a little reflection to grasp all this implies. 
When we recall the full purport of the injunction "Re- 



THE GREA T DEB A TE. 1 n 

member those in bonds, as bound with them,''' and how 
completely Mr. Douglas had failed to express any sympathy 
with those who were held as chattels, we will better under- 
stand the severity of Lincoln's statement. 

Apparently he had no regard for suffering, if the 
suffering happened to l)e under a black skin. He was put 
up by nature in that way. Mr. Lincoln was put up 
in another way, hence these "Great Debates," which 
made such history, that they will never pass into 
oblivion, even though this great dome of steel and stone 
in which they are commemorated, may crumble into dust. 

But, as was intimated, there came a change after the 
election in November, 1S60. Douglas holding the hat of 
Lincohi during the delivery of his first inaugural address; 
Douglas advising with Lincoln, and suggesting that troops 



20 THE GEE AT DEBATE. 

could be got into Washington through Annapolis, instead of 
through hostile Baltimore; Douglas asserting that "there are 
but two parties now, patriots and traitors," had truly "sunk 
the partisan in the patriot," had forgotten himself and his 
ambition, in his loyalty to the Union. 

All the good he did has not been written, he not only 
saw himself that there w^as a deliberate design to break up 
this Government, but he helped others to see it also. 

An incident has been related to the writer, showing his 
usefulness in this direction, which, wdiile it may not be true 
to the letter, it is highly probable that it is correct in 
sul)stance. 

When Douglas was in Springfield, after the called 
Session of the Senate had adjourned, in the Spring of 1S61, 
he was met on the square near the old Statehouse, by John 



TEE GREAT DEBATE. 2l 

A. Loo-an, who immediately commenced to rail at him for 
his treason to their party. Those who know Logan's firery 
nature, and the rlcJoiesti of his vocabulary, can easily 
imagine that it was no Sunday School style of address he 
used in u})l)raiding his great leader. Douglas heard him in 
silence for a while, then, taking him by the aim said, 
"Come in here, John," and led him into a room of the 
Cai)itol, where they were closeted for an hour or more. 
When they came out Logan's eyes were wet. In that inter- 
view, the particulars of which will never be known, except 
so far as its results ap})ear, Logan like Saul, "had seen the 
light and heard the voice." And thenceforth to his ever 
lasting honor be it said, he was "among the 'greatest of the 
Apostles' of Liberty and Union." 



22 THE GREA T DEB A TE. 

The incident, if true, is greatly to the credit of both 
men and adds another to the momentous historical events which 
have taken place in the old Statehouse, which, let it not be 
forgotten, Lincoln was so largely instrumental in placing 
where it stands. Surely they cannot be acquainted with its 
history, who favor tearing it down. 

The death of the great Senator, was a serious loss to 
the Union side. His influence would have gone far towards 
minimizing the harm done l)y the "Knights of the Golden 
Circle" and "Sons of Liberty," who were striving to per- 
petuate oj>pressiori, and his magnetism and fervor would 
have brought to the Union ranks, many who remained 
neutral, or went over to the side of the enemy. 

Because of his greatness and his steadfastness for the 
rnion, is lie fully entitled to the respect and honor shown 



THE GREAT DEBATE. 2:5 

by placinji- liiiii conspicuously in the picture, which, tlie 
writer ventures to predict, will yet be ranked as one of the 
world's oreat works of art. 

To the memory of the artist Avho has so beautifully 
commemorated the greatest del)ate in all history," there 
should be at least a tablet of bronze placed in the rotunda, 
in a prominent position, and near his great work. For it 
is Ijecause of the excellence of his work, as well as 
the history it records, which is not only Illinois', l)ut the 
Country's also; that we would not exchange our Capitol's 
dome for Michael Angelo's art embellished crown of St. 
Peters at Rome. There is no Lincoln there. 



* Since the above was written. President McKinloy said, in speakius of 
Lincoln and Douglas, in his address to the citizens of Kankakee, Oct. 15, 18'.t8, 
"Their famous debate was an education for the young man and for the old men 
of the country, and had as much to do with shaping and moulding public opinion, 
as any event I can now recall." 



RokKer 
Press 

Springfield 
Illinois 



LB S 12 



